MCAT blues, time to call it quits?

[Perseverant 1]

Hi everyone, as you can see by my username i have been at this for quite a long while. Here's my scoop. I am finishing a graduate degree in bio with a 3.78. I had to opt for the grad degree because my undergraduate experience was a complete blur (not just cause i was a slacker, but because i had some major things going down with family illnesses).
Anyway, i have one year experience in a hospital setting, 1 year in a clinic setting, 7 years (yes i said 7 years) working with autistic children. Now i am working in basic research for hematologic malignancies.
I have alot of experience in my area of interest (my brother has CP and epilepsy, my dad had a stroke , one aunt with Alzheimers and another died of ALS) so you can see why i am interested in neurology, right? Anyway, i have taken the MCAT a few times with a high score of 22. yup 22, you heard that right. I am putting myself through the motions AGAIN. I plan to take it this August. And yes, i have taken Kaplan. I am actually retaking the course.
Contrary to my username, i am really beginning to wonder why i am doing this to myself. I am thinking about quitting. Maybe McDonald's or Burger King could use some help? It is just so hard to let go after i have worked so hard for so long to get into med school.
Can anyone out there help? Any suggestions for someone who isn't feeling so Perseverant anymore? thanks.

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[Mr. H]

Listen, unless you are a URM, you will never get in with a 22. Now, you said you have taken it twice, what was your fist score. Realize that by taking it twice and getting a 22 you didn't do yourself much good. So, you need to take a year off. Do not take the exam in August, you will just won't make the grade as is evidence by your previous two exams.
So what you need to do.
Study your butt off, try to keep work to a minimum, and study until April. I'm very serious on this, many people are bad test takers, and if you are bad, you can only overcome this by knowing the in's and out's of every single bio/physical thing out there. Practice PRACTICE and PRACTICE. Do not take the test unless you are consistently scoring in the+27 range. And if all that doesn't work, then move on. Good LUCk

 

[chandler742]

Perseverant, I am sorry to hear about your family's past illnesses.

Here is my take:

1. First of all, you have to be truly honest with yourself about your motivations. Even people camouflaged with high gpas and/or mcat scores have to endure adversity eventually whether it be in medical school or as a resident. Therefore, motivation is the key. This could be your wall. I think your graduate gpa is highly encouraging, so you are not out of the game just yet, even with a 22.

As for this summer, you have to follow your heart. Although your hyperbole about McD's might have been an attempt at humor, it says alot about your frame of mind right now. The best solution is to make a decision THIS WEEK concerning the MCAT. Do some soul searching. If these feelings persist DO NOT TAKE THE MCAT. However, if you do decide to take the MCAT commit yourself completely. Just keep repeating to yourself, I took this exam before so I won't make the same mistakes.

CONFIDENCE IS IMPORTANT ON MCAT.

Hang in there. It is not an easy process. If you truly want to be a doctor, I am sure you will find a way. Just remember admissions counselors love stories like yours so your application will stand out. Believe it or not some people with a 22 and low gpa do get in med school.

Don't discount Osteopathic schools either. People that matter (i.e. the patients) don't care if you are an MD or DO.

Remember be honest with yourself.

 

[JmE]

Perseverant 1,

I too would suggest that you take a look at Osteopathic schools. I personally preferred the DO route (I start in September). Indeed, I did not even know DO existed before a visit from a DO school during my udergraduate work. After examining Osteopathy over a few years, I applied primarily to DO schools with MD schools as sort of a backup plan.

I wish you luck!

-JmE-

 

[relatively prime]

•••quote:•••Originally posted by JmE:
•Perseverant 1,

I too would suggest that you take a look at Osteopathic schools. I personally preferred the DO route (I start in September). Indeed, I did not even know DO existed before a visit from a DO school during my udergraduate work. After examining Osteopathy over a few years, I applied primarily to DO schools with MD schools as sort of a backup plan.

I wish you luck!

-JmE-•••••Oddly enough, even DO schools probably won't accept a 22. I looked at the most recent 2003 US News stats for students accepted to DO schools. Surprisingly, they're not that much lower than MD schools. I'm thinking the average accepted MCAT accepted to DO schools is a 26-27. At one school it was as low as a 23... but that's as low as it got (that I saw).

Perseverant 1: I agree with Mr. H, you need to take a year off, or maybe even two. Join Peace Corp or something amazing like that. Then study like a mad-man (or woman) for 3 months before the test. Good luck

 

[njdesi]

Relatively Prime:

I am not sure how solid that finding is. I know from personal experience. I have called up LECOM, PCOM, and UNECOM and they have told me each year they accept people with MCATs as low as 21 (7s on each part). Usually these people have something else very outstanding (work experience, masters, etc).My friend walked around the NJSOM campus and though the school claims its average is "27-28" most students she talked to had between 23-25. I have a 23 Q and believe me, I am not settling for that. I am retaking in August so that I can get atleast a 26 to get me into DO school.

NJDESI

 

[njdesi]

Also I think some DO schoolw east of the mississippi and west of colorado (ie: midwest DO schools ) tend to take people with lower MCATs
in the 18-22 range. I know that for a fact about UHSCOM and KCOM have taken people this year with such low #s. I am not saying that I encourage people to settle for such scores ( I am retaking ) but the possibility of acceptance with such low scores is possible.

 

[relatively prime]

njdesi: I'm not saying that no D.O. schools accept anyone with a sub-25 MCAT score. My point was only that EVEN at D.O. schools getting in with a 22 is not going to be easy. It's still considerably below the mean at most D.O. schools. I went to US NEws and found the following stats. This is obviously not all the D.O. schools, but it gives some idea of what stats they tend to accept...

Arizona C.O.M.: MCAT: 8V 8.2P 8.6B GPA: 3.47
Kirksville C.O.M.: MCAT: 8.8V 8.8P 9.3B GPA: 3.44
Michigan State University: MCAT: 8.6V 8.4P 8.9B GPA: 3.53
University of New England: MCAT: 8.1V 7.8P 8.5B GPA: 3.29
New York C.O.M.: MCAT: 7.4V 8.2P 8.3B GPA: 3.4
Nova: MCAT: 8.3V 8.3P 8.3B GPA: 3.43
OU: MCAT: 8V 8P 9B GPA: 3.43
Oklahoma State University: MCAT: 9V 8P 9B GPA: 3.5
Philadelphia C.O.M.: MCAT: 7.9V 7.9P 8.3B GPA: 3.43
Pikeville College: MCAT: 8V 6.9P 7.7B GPA: 3.29
Touro: MCAT: 8.1V 9.5P 9.4 GPA: 3.51
W. Virginia School of O.M.: MCAT: 7.9V 7P 7.4B GPA: 3.45

 

[JmE]

•••quote:•••Originally posted by relatively prime:
Oddly enough, even DO schools probably won't accept a 22. I looked at the most recent 2003 US News stats for students accepted to DO schools. Surprisingly, they're not that much lower than MD schools. I'm thinking the average accepted MCAT accepted to DO schools is a 26-27. At one school it was as low as a 23... but that's as low as it got (that I saw).

Perseverant 1: I agree with Mr. H, you need to take a year off, or maybe even two. Join Peace Corp or something amazing like that. Then study like a mad-man (or woman) for 3 months before the test. Good luck [/QB]••••Although I somewhat agree with you in an "on paper" sort of sense, if I were Perseverant 1, I would still apply Osteopathic. If fees were an issue, I would target a few schools that I felt afforded me the best chance. I really think there are some circumstances around this applicant that might shed a different light than the "ideal" number approach will allow. Indeed, I am reasonably sure that my school, OUCOM, would give Perseverant 1 a fair and understanding chance. However, this just is what I would do if I were in the described situation.

BTW: That is another reason I like Osetopathy (at least my impression of it from the schools to the practicing DOs that I have worked with), they don't always look at things the way one might expect. I think the poster has a real chance if the application process (statement, DO letters, and interview) go smoothly enough. Indeed, I would invite Perseverant 1 to contact OUCOM and ask (make sure you present well!). Here is from their web site "For more information on applying to OU-COM, contact: John D. Schriner, M.Ed., Director of Admissions, at (800)-345-1560."
He is a great guy, he introduced me to Osteopathy years ago.

I also really like WVSOM

BTW: If I would have looked (during my pre-med years) at all of the requirements, etc on their website, I might have been worried about even applying. When I began the process, I did not know what it involved nor what was required. I learned as I went through the process (not that I would recommend it.)

-JmE-

(I hope that I didn't violate any forum rules by posting that quote from <a href="http://www.oucom.ohiou.edu/Admissions.htm" target="_blank">http://www.oucom.ohiou.edu/Admissions.htm</a> did I?)

 

[relatively prime]

Sure... if the OP wants to apply to a few DO schools this time arround then he/she should. You never know, he/she might get into one. But this guy took the MCAT several times, so he can't give the "I had a bad day" line. Again, all I was saying is that even in applying to DO schools he's going to have a rough time.

 

[JmE]

•••quote:•••Originally posted by relatively prime:
•Sure... if the OP wants to apply to a few DO schools this time arround then he/she should. You never know, he/she might get into one. But this guy took the MCAT several times, so he can't give the "I had a bad day" line. Again, all I was saying is that even in applying to DO schools he's going to have a rough time.•••••For the most part, I agree. (I definately do not think the "had a bad day" line will help :wink: )

-JmE-

 

[PreMedAdAG]

persev--
I got your PM.. thanks.. at least I got someone out there for support. Keep me posted on your improvements.. we both can't call it quits, you know why? Then the world would be missing two damn good women doctors Good luck!